Looking from the north stand I was shocked how easily cas scored from the scrum at half time. Looking at the try on TV we got our numbers wrong . Cas set up with 4 attackers on the left and two on the right but we set up 3 and 3. Not only that but Jowitt was in the scrum in the loose forward position making it impossible for him to get across once they got quick ball from the scrum . I am no coach these are professional players surely they should know that you mirror the opposition set up at a scrum when you are defending or they automatically have an overlap and why is our full back not in the defensive line?

That's all on the full back in my opinion.
They are the one to manage that numbering up.
I was in the flats and saw it and shouted it out but of course it was too late.
It wasn't the only time either.
It is a big flaw in Max's game and I don't understand why.

We should still have stopped the try though.

We did exactly the same last year when played Catalan the last time at home. I also saw it from the north stand too soft by far, they should number up it's not rocket science.

I haven’t looked at this specific incident but it’s not always appropriate to defend with equal numbers to the attackers.
Sometimes teams will put an extra attacker on one side to entice the defending team to do the same. If they do then it might open up space on the other side of the field and if a team has quality players with more speed or more power or both then that space is enough to be a threat despite the equal numbers.
For example, if a play the ball is 30m in from touch and the attacking side puts Greg Inglis and Eric Grothe on the shortside then the defending team would be stupid to just match 2 defenders opposite them. So they may put 3 on the short side leaving them one short on the open side.

Equally if there’s only 20 mars between the play the ball and the touchline a defending team might feel that 2 defenders is enough to defend that space and doesn’t require a 3rd defender even if the attacking side puts 3 on that side.

Sometimes it’s not about matching numbers but defending the space

I hope that I’ve explained that well

100% correct, it is the Full Backs job and again correct that it’s a weakness in Maxs game.
It’s a fundamental and essential element to the teams management and any Full Back that isn’t good at it is missing a vital skill that the position demands

Would help if our backs were not so slow,.what ever the call to slow to get across Castleford murdered us wide out

I'd suggest some of you posters go on sky sports and watch the highlights again from the start.
Leading to the first try lino no confidence in himself or the players around him shooting out of the line leaving lynn in no man's land, shall I stay or go.
Edens first all backing off near line, lino main culprit. Scrum try lynn stuck in no man's land took wrong man and line backing off again. Long range try poor chase and poor one on one misses. Edens 3rd backing off again. Looks like no one trusts each other

Watch Lino, as Cas come forward Lino retreats back. If the next man out goes up Miller goes through the gap. Lino not pressuring Miller is the catalyst for this try. Bloke is truly woeful in both attack and defence.

Mash must see something that us armchair coaches don't. I mean I know some of us played the game but he is a professional, we (mostly) wren't / aren't.

Lino does seem untouchable though, walking back into a functioning team after injury at first and every opportunity.

And he got a contract extension, meaning he's here another three years...

Crazy to think Dagger (one of our best defenders IMO) was left out for Mason to play.

Its just like CC's final years, as soon as one of the "older" first team players return from injury they go straight into the team.

Frustrating.

So let's be clear here.

I never understand how the facts get so skewed on here.

Dagger played stand off against Wigan and played well. And we won.
He kept his place the week after at Huddersfield. Lino came back to replace Kay who moved to loose forward (which had worked before)
Dagger left the field with a head injury and didn't come back.
Dagger missed the Warrington game through injury protocols but Gale came back as a surprise after leg injury. We won.
We kept the half back partnership and Dagger came back on the bench. Which was needed because of Langi's injury.
Griffin was then available for the centre against Cas which seems sensible as Dagger was only an injury replacement. He kept the same half backs.

So Dagger was never dropped for Lino.

I personally would play him, but he hasn't missed games because Mash is ....."favouring the older players"

Our best goal kicker too!

He should be in the starting 13 every week for me, same with Kay.

Agree ,and it as cost us big time . What happens to Smith played 7 against Leeds, impressed with that combination . Think Hood was out of that game too .If it is right ,why as it not been tried again

Smith out for full season with injury.

Unbelievable the number of better players that get injured for Wakefield .Not saying there world betters ,but better than what is on the park

How is Smith now a big loss? All the criticism of Lino applies to him too. He hasn't won a game for us.

I like him. But if he was fit he still wouldn't be playing right now.

And yet looking back to the start of the season our half back options were Smith Lino and Gaskell. Then we wonder why it has come to this.

I agree about Dagger starting alongside Gale but I think having a genuine big middle playing at loose such as Atoni would help the Trinity pack dominate more and so give the halves a little more time and space to create. Atoni also has a bit of an off load game.

Whitbread, Bowden, Fifita, Eseh and Battye being the props. Kay coming off the bench to spell Hood and hopefully with his pace making some metres from dummy half. It would also be good to now see Eseh be in the 17 for the last few games.

However I just think that there’s a lack of quality in the squad and that relegation is nailed on. Hope I’m wrong.

We can count, to nil

Like one more quote on this forum .I through we were in for a very bad season after been held scoreless against Featherstone in the first half of the friendly.What I did not expect was to to not to score a point in 23 half of rugby that is like playing 50% of our matches up to date without scoring a point .In fairness this is not just down to one very bad Coach who just keeps playing the same old men in every position ,week in week out,(though he as had one season to change it and money to spend ) It started when Chester was wasting a full sallery for two seasons bringing in old players not good enough for S L On the pitch the club is in free fall, and most of the first team want clearing out including the coach .but how the hell can we get a coach who is good enough when we are In the Championship

It started with Chester getting a new contract, then been allowed to spend next seasons budget only to be sacked leaving Poching to pick up the pieces.

I still can't get my head around going from getting a new deal to then getting the sack.

The only answer to your question I can come up with Legend for next season is money.Depends entirely if the takeover goes through and there is the cash to hire the best available coach to mastermind our rebuild in the Championship.Mash needs pushing to one side for last 4 games with Long,Gale or even Fifita running the show.IMO nothing to lose now.